Liberal arts college
#24 Best colleges in New YorkSt. Lawrence University
Canton, NY · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $28,651 a year
Median debt at graduation: $27,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for business in America#115 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#97 of 1,238
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#57 of 690
- Best colleges in America#183 of 1,829
- Best colleges for psychology in America#148 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#157 of 1,481
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- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#150 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#147 of 1,283
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#215 of 1,829
- Best mid-size colleges in America#79 of 667
- Best colleges for history in America#150 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#144 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#153 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#151 of 1,162
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#149 of 1,116
- Best colleges for music in America#145 of 1,063
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in America#65 of 430
- Best colleges for economics in America#148 of 788
In New York
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in New York#7 of 79
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in New York#10 of 82
- Best colleges for business in New York#15 of 109
- Best test-optional colleges in New York#21 of 125
- Best colleges in New York#24 of 135
- Best colleges for NCAA Division III athletes in New York#11 of 60
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- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in New York#25 of 135
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in New York#15 of 80
- Best mid-size colleges in New York#12 of 61
- Best colleges for psychology in New York#19 of 96
- Best colleges for art and design in New York#17 of 85
- Best colleges for English in New York#17 of 81
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in New York#19 of 88
- Best colleges for history in New York#18 of 82
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in New York#18 of 77
- Best colleges for mathematics in New York#19 of 81
- Best colleges for chemistry in New York#18 of 76
- Best colleges for economics in New York#19 of 73
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.79%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.91%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,371 · ACT 31.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.11 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$19,642
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $82,000 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,060 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 48% · Women 53% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 13% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 61% |
| Total students | 2,089 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $28,651 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $82,000 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 79% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 76% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 75% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 85% |
| First-year retention | 91% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $67,258 |
| Admission rate | 54% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $816 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 21% |
| Average SAT | 1371 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 645–710 |
| SAT math | 610–710 |
| ACT composite | 30–33 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Economics | |
| Mathematics | |
| Business (general) | |
| Political science | |
| Communication studies | |
| Biology | |
| Global studies | |
| Psychology | |
| English | |
| Other social sciences | |
| History | |
| Fine arts | |
| Ecology and evolutionary biology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Area studies, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computing and information science, Data Science, Economics and Foreign Language/Literature, General studies, Geology and earth science, History and Language/Literature, Liberal arts, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics, Philosophy, Physics, Public health, Religious studies, Romance languages, Sociology, Statistics.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Communication | |
| Natural resources |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 0% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,000 |
| Sports | NCAA Division III · Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 11 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 26%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 79%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $183,091IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG)About 83 miles away · about 2 hours 35 minutes by car |
| Town population | 7,167Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | BuffaloAbout 219 miles away · about 5 hours 25 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 17°F in January · 69°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Canton 4 SE, NY, about 3 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 2.51 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is St. Lawrence University’s Compass Score?
- Excellent (grade A-). It ranks in the top 11% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does St. Lawrence University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $28,651 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into St. Lawrence University?
- St. Lawrence University admitted 54% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do St. Lawrence University’s graduates do?
- 79% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $67,258; the median federal debt at graduation is $27,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 195216
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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